But after Saturday's 4-0 defeat at Old Trafford, Mancunian Makin insisted: "It looks like a thrashing, but the scoreline flattered them.

IPSWICH Town defender Chris Makin supported Manchester United as a kid and was a schoolboy on their books.

But after Saturday's 4-0 defeat at Old Trafford, Mancunian Makin insisted: "It looks like a thrashing, but the scoreline flattered them."

Makin, who began his career at Oldham and was at Marseilles and Sunderland before coming to Town towards the end of last season, admitted: "We were not at our best, but neither were they."

The Salford-born full-back operated at left wing-back on Saturday against a United side that was without a host of big stars and included no fewer than nine changes.

" I think that if they'd played a stronger team it may have suited us better. I may have given us more of a buzz," said Makin.

Town's disappointing start to the season continued in a match where they fell behind to a Ronny Johnsen goal on 13 minutes. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made it 2-0 seven minutes later.

United's last two efforts were a real sting-in-the-tail affair.

Andy Cole struck in the 90th minute and Solskjaer then hit his second of the game in stoppage time.

"When it went 2-0 it was effectively over as a contest," said Makin. "But I know football people around the country will have read the Sunday papers and deduced that it was a thrashing. But this was not the case.

"We were very unlucky not to score from a Marcus Stewart header towards the end. Had that gone in it might have been an anxious final period for United. But, unfortunately for us, Fabian Barthez brought off a great save."

Makin was quick to refute any suggestions that the Town defeat was partly due to them being in action two days earlier against Torpedo Moscow at Portman Road in a UEFA Cup first round tie.

"I'm not using that as an excuse. It had nothing to do with that," declared the £1.4 million Blues signing who found Saturday's match, watched by a 67,551 crowd, a very special occasion despite the defeat.

"I supported United as a kid. When I've played at Old Trafford in the past it's always been particularly special for a lad like myself. It was the same on Saturday but I just wish we could have got a better result."